Base pay in the military
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -- In the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard base pay is just the beginning of the paycheck story. Servicemen and woman also get "allowances" for clothing, food and housing. The amounts of those allowances can depend on rank, where the serviceman is based and how many dependents he or she is supporting. Some allowances, like the "Basic Allowance for Subsistence" are actually lower for higher ranks for which the base pay is higher. The "Basic Allowance for Housing" is set according to location, rank and dependents.
For more on military pay, see our story.
To see what military ranks these pay grades correspond to in other armed service branches, see the Department of Defense Rank Insignia page.
| Grade |
Army Rank |
Min. years |
Starting
base pay |
After 10
years |
After 26
years |
| E1 |
Private |
More than 4 mos. |
$13,809.60 |
N/A |
N/A |
| E2 |
Private |
2 years or less |
$15,480.00 |
N/A |
N/A |
| E3 |
Private 1st Class |
2 years or less |
$16,282.80 |
N/A |
N/A |
| E4 |
Corporal or Specialist 4 |
2 years or less |
$18,032.40 |
N/A |
N/A |
| E5 |
Sergeant |
2 years or less |
$19,504.80 |
$26,841.60 |
$27,399.60 |
| E6 |
Staff Sergeant |
2 years or less |
$21,247.20 |
$29,728.80 |
$32,515.20 |
| E7 |
Sergeant 1st Class |
2 years or less |
$24,822.00 |
$33,040.80 |
$44,056.80 |
| E8 |
Master Sergeant or 1st Sergeant |
8 years |
$35,704.80 |
$36,734.40 |
$49,190.40 |
| E9 |
Sergeant Major |
10 years |
$42,771.60 |
$42,771.60 |
$57,088.80 |
|
| W1 |
Warrant Officer |
2 years or less |
$25,606.80 |
$34,660.80 |
$40,914.00 |
| W2 |
Warrant Officer - 2 |
2 years or less |
$28,998.00 |
$37,782.00 |
$47,487.60 |
| W3 |
Warrant Officer - 3 |
2 years or less |
$32,965.20 |
$41,608.80 |
$54,576.00 |
| W4 |
Chief Warrant Officer - 4 |
2 years or less |
$36,097.20 |
$46,692.00 |
$61,650.00 |
| W5 |
Chief Warrant Officer - 5 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
$68,439.60 |
|
| O1 |
2nd Lieutenant |
2 years or less |
$26,204.40 |
$32,961.60 |
$32,961.60 |
| O2 |
1st Lieutenant |
2 years or less |
$30,182.40 |
$41,774.40 |
$41,774.40 |
| O3 |
Captain |
2 years or less |
$34,934.40 |
$52,869.60 |
$56,833.20 |
| O4 |
Major |
2 years or less |
$39,733.20 |
$59,454.00 |
$66,340.80 |
| O5 |
Lieutenant Colonel |
2 years or less |
$46,051.20 |
$62,672.40 |
$78,235.20 |
| O6 |
Colonel |
2 years or less |
$55,238.40 |
$68,065.20 |
$95,878.80 |
| O7 |
Brigadier General |
2 years or less |
$74,530.80 |
$88,084.80 |
$109,162.80 |
| O8 |
Major General |
2 years or less |
$89,694.00 |
$102,567.60 |
$123,069.60 |
| O9 |
Lieutenant General |
20 years |
$126,763.20 |
N/A |
$135,835.20 |
| O10 |
General |
20 years |
$144,932.40 |
N/A |
$153,950.40 |
|
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